Technical Officer - Safety and Compliance

Ventia; Geelong; On-site; AUD 100,000 - 113,000; Full time

Job summary

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) in Geelong seeks a Technical Officer to manage safety and compliance within a high‑containment facility. You will oversee permits, supervise contractors, and ensure safe isolation of equipment for maintenance.

You will develop tailored safety training, implement health and safety systems, and drive continuous improvement in safety performance, aligning with legislation and CSIRO policy.

Qualifications

• Comprehensive knowledge of health and safety requirements in CSIRO facilities.
• Experience applying contractor management systems, permit access and risk analyses.
• Ability to monitor safety of maintenance and contracted works.
• Proficiency with computer-based safety systems (e.g. Donesafe).
• Experience supervising contractors and liaising with contractor personnel.
• Maintaining training records and compliance documentation accurately.

Responsibilities

• Act as Permit Officer, managing the permit system and overseeing contractors and after-hours support.
• Define isolation requirements for maintenance and ensure safe system operation of equipment.
• Develop and deliver tailored safety training and maintain training records.
• Implement CSIRO Health, Safety and Environment systems and monitor safe work practices.
• Lead safety reporting and drive continuous improvement in safety standards.

Skills

Health & safety

Contractor management

Risk assessment

Safety systems knowledge

Contractor liaison

Training records

Decision making

Team collaboration

Tools

Donesafe

Job description

Technical Officer - Safety and Compliance

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. View our vision towards reconciliation.

Role highlights

• Put your safety and compliance expertise to work at CSIRO’s ACDP
• Support safe operations through contractor oversight, permits and training
• Join a multidisciplinary team supporting Australia’s biosecurity preparedness

About CSIRO

As Australia's national science agency, CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. Many of our iconic innovations were once considered impossible until someone, just like you, joined us and took on the challenge.

Visit CSIRO.au for more information.

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) in Geelong is a nationally significant high-containment facility protecting Australia from serious and emerging animal and zoonotic disease threats. Our teams work across research, surveillance, diagnostics and emergency response, helping safeguard Australia’s animal industries, environment and communities.

Why join ACDP?

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) in Geelong is a nationally significant high-containment facility protecting Australia from serious and emerging animal and zoonotic disease threats. Our teams work across research, surveillance, diagnostics and emergency response, helping safeguard Australia’s animal industries, environment and communities.

This is a pivotal time to join ACDP. A major Part-Life Refit is modernising laboratories, infrastructure and animal research capability to support the Centre’s critical work for decades to come at the Geelong site. You’ll have the opportunity to contribute to science with genuine national impact in helping Australia anticipate, detect and respond to serious biosecurity threats such as lumpy skin disease, African swine fever and avian influenza. Whether your role supports research, diagnostics, surveillance, animal care, laboratory operations or critical infrastructure, your work can strengthen Australia’s preparedness, protect animal health and industries, and help reduce risks to the environment and community. You’ll also build distinctive experience in a complex, highly regulated environment unlike conventional veterinary, animal-care or laboratory practice.

The opportunity

As a Technical Officer at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), you’ll help keep a complex research facility operating safely. Reporting to the Compliance and Services Manager, you’ll manage the permit system to ensure compliance with engineering standards, supervise tradespeople and contractors, including providing after-hours support, and oversee the safe isolation and de-energisation of equipment for maintenance and improvements.

You’ll develop and deliver staff training, coordinate external training and implement CSIRO’s Health, Safety and Environment systems in line with legislation and policy. Working with a multidisciplinary team, you’ll maintain safety equipment, drive continuous improvement and build effective communication with staff and stakeholders to uphold CSIRO’s reputation and support its scientific objectives and research outcomes.

Your high-level duties will include

• Act as Permit Officer, managing the permit system to uphold engineering and contractor standards. Supervise tradespeople and contractors across Safety & Compliance and CBIS, including after-hours and call-out support.
• Identify and document plant and equipment isolation and de-energisation requirements for maintenance, contract services, repairs and minor improvements, ensuring safe isolation and keeping safety equipment operational.
• Develop and deliver tailored safety training for maintenance and engineering staff, coordinate external training, assess and sign off competencies, and maintain training records in line with CSIRO requirements.
• Implement and manage CSIRO’s Health, Safety and Environment systems to support engineering compliance with legislation and policy. Maintain, monitor and report on safe work systems, including checklists, Take 5’s and risk assessments.
• Lead the design and implementation of a B&IS safety reporting dashboard to support timely action on safety issues, and prepare safety reports.
• Drive continuous improvement by keeping skills and knowledge of standards and legislation current, recommending and evaluating better work practices, and promoting safety awareness, regular discussion and safe behaviours.
• Adhere to the spirit and practice of CSIRO’s Values, Code of Conduct, Health, Safety and Environment procedures and policy and diversity initiatives.

Role particulars

Location: Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), Geelong, VIC

Salary: AU$100k - AU$113k per annum + 15.4% superannuation

Tenure & work schedule: Specified term of 2 years, Full-time

Reference: 104472

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

Essential

• Demonstrated comprehensive knowledge/experience and appreciation of relevant procedures/protocols associated with Health and Safety requirements applicable to personnel operations, safety and security at CSIRO’s research facilities,
• Competence in the application of contractor management systems, permit / access procedures, Risk Management, undertaking Risk Analysis and Job Safety Analysis for minor works, maintenance and repair activities.
• Demonstrated ability to monitor safety of maintenance and contracted works
• Demonstrated ability to use and maintain the currency of computer-based safety systems, e.g. Donesafe.
• Demonstrated experience in supervising and managing contractors and a demonstrated ability to liaise with contractor personnel.
• Experience in maintaining accurate training records and compliance documentation in alignment with organisational and legislative standards.
• Demonstrated judgement and flexibility in decision making, and ability to prioritise work to achieve deadlines and agreed outputs.
• Ability to work collaboratively with clients, external stakeholders, and colleagues within your team, the business unit and across the Compliance & Services Team, to reach objectives

Desirable

• Demonstrated knowledge, skills and experience in the delivery of trade-based services in support of facility management.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and delivering site‑specific safety training programs, including the ability to tailor content to various audiences within a workplace setting, and/or the ability to obtain formal "train the trainer" training within a reasonable timeframe.
• Demonstrated ability to work under broad direction, accept responsibility and accountability of outcomes.
• Willingness to study for and attain further qualifications, where necessary.

Not sure if you meet all the criteria?

While it is CSIRO policy that the successful candidate must meet all the essential criteria, there are many ways to demonstrate this. Don’t let the list discourage you. If you are unsure about applying, please reach out to the contact person in the Position Description.

Life at CSIRO and flexible work arrangements

CSIRO offers a range of leave entitlements, benefits and career development opportunities. To find out more, visit Careers at CSIRO.

Inclusion and belonging

Solving Australia's greatest challenges takes a diversity of minds and lived experiences. We know diverse teams are more effective and deliver more innovative outcomes. As an equal employment opportunity organisation, we are committed to creating diverse and inclusive teams where people feel they belong. We recognise true diversity encompasses all ages, abilities, cultures, faiths, levels of education, genders, sexualities, diversity of thought and much more. We focus on hiring people who share our values of People First, Further Together, Making it Real and Trusted.

CSIRO holds Gold Status for the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and a Science in Australia Gender Equity Bronze Award.

Eligibility

Applications for this position are open to Australian Citizens only. Appointment to this role is subject to provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

Child safety

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs. View our Child Safe Policy.

Applications close

15 November 2026, 11:00pm AEDT